Startups For the Rest of Us

Latest Episodes:

Episode 766 | Close.com's Amazing Run to $40M ARR (with Steli Efti) Mar 18, 2025

Show notes

How do you achieve both success and longevity in SaaS?

In episode 766, Rob chats with Steli Efti about growing Close.com to over $40 million in ARR. Steli shares insights into the importance of maintaining strong co-founder relationships over 12 years, navigating crises, and the importance of emotional resilience in entrepreneurship. They also dive into Close's recent pricing shift to introduce a lower entry-level plan.

Topics we cover:

(2:08) – Reflecting on 12 years of SaaS at Close
(3:50) – Strong co-founder relationships
(11:24) – Longevity and consistently showing up
(20:23) – Surviving moments of crisis
(29:27) – Launching a more affordable pricing tier
(34:40) – Getting back into the content game

Links from the Show:

Exit Strategy by Sherry Walling, PhD & Rob Walling
Close
Close Sales Guides
Episode 498 | Selling During a Pandemic with Steli Efti
The 0 to $30 Million Blueprint
Steli Efti (@Steli) | X
Steli Efti | LinkedIn

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Episode 765 | TinySeed Tales s4e9: Making the hardest decision Mar 13, 2025

Show notes

Is it time to shut down for good?

In this season finale of TinySeed Tales, Rob Walling sits down with Colleen Schnettler, founder of Hello Query, to reflect on her journey over the past few years.

Colleen candidly shares the challenges she faced while trying to grow her SaaS business, including the difficult decision to shut it down after struggling to find traction. Moving past a painful part in her founder journey, Colleen is excited about her new venture where she’s already seeing early success. Join us for this honest look into the final days of Hello Query and to hear Colleen's resilience in the startup world.

Topics we cover:

(1:07) – Difficulty in finding and onboarding customers
(5:32) – Why didn’t it work?
(9:29) – How did the co-founder split affect the business?
(13:11) – Founder regrets
(18:49) – Reflecting on the decision
(22:38) – Anything that you would have done differently?
(25:21) – Moving forward to founder coaching and marketing

Links from the Show:

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Episode 764 | Finding Hockey Stick Growth with an A.I. Wrapper (with Jordan Gal) Mar 11, 2025

Show notes

How do you build an MVP for an AI-enabled SaaS?

In episode 764, Rob Walling interviews Jordan Gal, co-founder of Rosie, to learn about how he pivoted from Rally to build an AI-driven product for small business owners. Jordan shares insights into the challenges of finding product-market fit, the importance of trial and error, and the rapid growth Rosie has experienced since its launch. They delve into the significance of effective onboarding, and how building an MVP changes in the face of AI.

Topics we cover:

(2:38) – From CartHook to Rally to Rosie
(6:28) – Deciding to pivot and feeling product-market fit
(12:55) – Coming up with a feature set
(16:50) – Building an MVP quickly
(19:29) – Competition when developing with AI
(24:52) – Removing features and flexibility in software
(29:59) – Incredibly fast onboarding
(33:22) – Balancing a “better business” with a “faster business”

Links from the Show:

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Episode 763 | TinySeed Tales s4e8: One Last Pivot Mar 06, 2025

Show notes

Is it time to set a deadline for when to quit your startup?

In this episode of TinySeed Tales, Rob Walling reconnects with Colleen Schnettler, co-founder of Hello Query, as she tries to achieve product-market fit on a deadline.

Colleen reveals the struggles of cold outreach and the overwhelming data landscape while testing a potential solution. With a clearer vision and two paying customers, she reflects on the importance of defining her value proposition, and the critical timeline she has set for herself to gain traction before her runway ends.

Topics we cover:

(1:43) – Debating becoming a data aggregator
(6:30) – Finding a new direction
(8:21) – Running out of runway
(10:39) – When is it time to quit?

Links from the Show:

The SaaS Launchpad
Quit by Annie Duke
TinySeed
Colleen Schnettler (@leenyburger) | X
Colleen Schnettler (@leenyburger.bsky.social) | Bluesky
Hello Query

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Episode 762 | Doing Great Work, Hierarchy of SaaS Skills, and Public Deadlines (A Rob Solo Adventure) Mar 04, 2025

Show notes

Are public deadlines a double-edged sword for startup founders?

In episode 762, join Rob Walling for a solo adventure where he covers several topics. Rob breaks down Paul Graham's essay, "Doing Great Work" and focuses on how the steps apply to building real businesses for real customers. He also discusses the hierarchy of skills necessary for success in the SaaS space, sharing his thoughts on the critical roles of marketing, product development, engineering, and effective team management.

Topics we cover:

(2:07) Doing great work
(5:20) Identify the gaps
(11:51) The SaaS skillset hierarchy
(18:28) Publicly committing to a feature release
(23:05) Maintaining enough rigor to hit deadlines

Links from the Show:

MicroConf Connect Applications are open now through March 5th
How to Do Great Work by Paul Graham
Start Small Stay Small by Rob Walling
Episode 756 | Why Great Product Management Is Critical for Your Startup

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

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Episode 761 | TinySeed Tales s4e7: Identifying Pain Points Feb 27, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of TinySeed Tales, Rob Walling checks in with Colleen Schnettler, co-founder of Hello Query, as she discusses finding customer pain points.

Colleen, now solo, navigates the challenge of refining her product vision. After a period of introspection, Colleen shares her decision to pivot from targeting engineering managers to focusing on marketing data analysts. She discusses the insights gained from hiring a marketing coach and the excitement of landing her first paying customer, despite some critical feedback on her product's UI.

Topics we cover:

(1:50) – Early product excitement fizzles out
(5:14) – When is it time to move on from an idea?
(8:57) – Helping marketers build better reports
(13:03) – Setting early pricing
(14:02) – Determining how much to polish an MVP
(17:36) – Predicting what’s ahead

Links from the Show:

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Episode 760 | White-Labeling, Founder Mindset, and More Listener Questions (A Rob Solo Adventure) Feb 25, 2025

Show notes

In episode 760, join Rob Walling as he takes on some listener questions in another solo adventure. He offers insights on balancing custom-built solutions versus white-labeled components, and the impact white labeling has on company valuation and growth. He also discusses strategic hiring, founder mindsets, and tools for tracking your SaaS success.

Topics we cover:

(2:30) – Considerations when white-labeling within your SaaS
(9:03) – Does relying on other SaaS affect our valuation?
(10:10) – Tools for tracking SaaS metrics to enable scaling
(17:03) – Do founder mindsets change at MRR milestones?
(21:34) – Mistakes founders make in their mindset
(25:27) – Forcing an onboarding step
(27:29) – Determining team composition

Links from the Show:

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Episode 759 | TinySeed Tales s4e6: Does AI + Pivot = Success? Feb 20, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of TinySeed Tales, Rob Walling speaks with Colleen Schnettler, co-founder of Hello Query, as she shares her latest startup journey pivot.

After reigniting her “shipping muscle” while briefly dabbling in an AI-based project, Colleen refocuses on her newest pivot of Hello Query. She shares the challenges of determining the market viability of an AI-assisted SQL report builder. She stands at a crossroads, torn between catering to internal BI teams or exploring marketing analytics.

Topics we cover:

(1:25) – Reflecting on the co-founder breakup
(2:42) – Trying a scratch-your-own-itch project
(6:27) – Unfair advantages inform another pivot
(15:07) – Respecting the “emotional runway”
(19:23) – Marketing insights vs. an internal BI tool
(23:01) – The curse of the audience

Links from the Show:

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Episode 758 | Do Free Trials Suck?, What Moves the Needle, and More Listener Questions (with Derrick Reimer) Feb 18, 2025

Show notes

In episode 758, Rob Walling is joined by Derrick Reimer to tackle a variety of listener questions. They discuss strategies for entering a market with established competitors, including how to position your product without directly attacking rivals. They also reflect on the challenges of free trials, weighing the pros and cons of extending trial periods versus incentivizing onboarding.

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Topics we cover:

(1:18) – How to launch a SaaS product in a market with an established competitor
(6:21) – Do I call out competitors by name?
(14:24) – How do you really identify what moves the needle in your Saas?
(19:59) – Breaking down the “one thing”
(23:32) – Selling and marketing SaaS before building
(30:36) – What is the goal of your free trial?
(39:10) – On the fence between B2B, B2C

Links from the Show:

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify

Episode 757 | TinySeed Tales s4e5: Founder Breakups, Crushing Failures, and the Future Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of TinySeed Tales, Rob Walling chats with Colleen Schnettler, co-founder of Hello Query, as she navigates the complexities of her startup journey.

After a challenging period with her co-founder Aaron, Colleen reflects on their decision to part ways and the emotional toll it has taken on her. She shares her feelings of crushing failure, the uncertainty of moving forward alone, and the realization that their initial product vision may not align with market needs.

Topics we cover:

(0:49) – Colleen and Aaron make a tough decision
(4:09) – Voice memo, “Crushing Failure”
(7:59) – What if you hadn’t raised money?
(11:44) – Colleen weighs her remaining options

Links from the Show:

If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe & Review: iTunes | Spotify